Heart of Illusory Thunder

Her Soul Power perception told her without a doubt: this was not an illusion, not a fake light created by Soul Tools, and certainly not any kind of trickery.

This was a genuine, perfectly fused Thousand-year Soul Ring, the first one! The energy level it contained, the completeness of its rules, were fundamentally different from a Hundred Year Soul Ring.

"Hoo..." Bibi Dong took a barely audible, deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

Her exquisite face remained calm, but her light purple eyes, like whirlpools, hid a multitude of complex thoughts. Her gaze slowly swept across Chen Li's young face, which already showed a resilient contour, and then to the Purple Soul Ring behind him.

"Chen Li, six years old this year, currently Level 18 Soul Power," she stated the information accurately, her tone calm and unwavering, yet carrying an undeniable certainty.

"Yes, Your Majesty the Pope," Chen Li admitted frankly.

Bibi Dong leaned forward slightly, the gem on top of her Scepter casting a faint glow. She looked into Chen Li's eyes, her voice suddenly becoming solemn and direct, cutting to the core: "Then, tell me, are you willing to dedicate your power, your loyalty, to Martial Soul Hall from this moment on?"

There was no beating around the bush, no probing; this was the most direct recruitment, and the most stringent interrogation.

"I am willing," Chen Li's reply was equally crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

His eyes were clear and firm. To him, the Star Luo Empire and the Dust Family had already abandoned him.

Martial Soul Hall had given him hope to break through and a platform to grow. Therefore, establishing himself here and gaining power was the most realistic choice.

"Very good," Bibi Dong nodded slightly, leaning back in her chair, resuming her posture as the Pope delivering judgment.

"From this moment on, you will be incorporated into Martial Soul Hall's core disciple sequence, enjoying corresponding resource quotas and permissions. Remember, this is based on the potential you have shown now. Martial Soul Hall does not support the useless. If your future growth fails to match this expectation, all treatment will be adjusted accordingly."

Her tone was resolute, containing iron-clad rules.

Resources could be allocated, but they would never be wasted.

"I understand, Your Majesty the Pope," Chen Li responded in a deep voice. He paused slightly, then respectfully but firmly stated his request, "Furthermore, I have a request, and I hope Your Majesty the Pope will grant it."

"Speak," Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened.

Chen Li organized his thoughts, aiming to achieve his goal without revealing his core secret: "The situation with my Martial Soul is special. Although I succeeded by chance yesterday, the mechanism for its compatibility with Soul Rings remains unclear.

Master Lor Diarra's research provided a direction, but I believe theory ultimately requires repeated practical verification and integration."

He looked up, his eyes burning: "Therefore, I implore Your Majesty to grant me permission to freely enter and exit Martial Soul Hall's various Soul Beast ecosystems and training grounds, and, under the premise of necessity and safety assurance, to travel to specific Soul Beast forests in the outside world for training.

I need to observe, interact with, and even experiment with Soul Beasts and Soul Rings of different types and ages in large quantities. Through practical combat and extreme attempts, I need to figure out what kind of traits my Martial Soul requires to stably and efficiently absorb Soul Rings, thereby finding the most correct cultivation path. Studying behind closed doors may never touch the essence."

This request was reasonable. A young man with a top-tier Martial Soul who had just broken through conventional norms was eager to explore his own path through extensive practice; this was perfectly normal.

At the same time, it perfectly concealed his true purpose of needing a large number of Soul Rings as raw material for the Gulp Gulp Fruit.

Yue Guan, standing nearby, blinked in surprise at his words, re-examining Chen Li.

He hadn't expected this kid to not only dare to make conditions but also to provide such a plausible and irrefutable reason. This kind of thinking was not like a six-year-old's.

Bibi Dong listened quietly, tapping the Scepter with her fingers twice, as if weighing the request. After a moment, she slowly said, "Granted. I will give you the corresponding access permissions. Martial Soul Hall encourages disciples with potential and determination to venture out and seize opportunities. However,"

Her voice suddenly turned cold, an invisible pressure filling the air: "The prerequisite for all of this is your unquestionable loyalty to Martial Soul Hall. If I discover any disloyal actions on your part, or any wavering in your heart..."

She didn't finish, but the chill in her words was enough to convey everything.

Chen Li immediately bowed, his voice resolute: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. The place that abandoned me is already irrelevant to me. My future lies only with Martial Soul Hall." He needed this platform and these resources, so he wouldn't harbor any ulterior motives at this time.

"Very good," the chill in Bibi Dong's eyes slightly receded, seemingly satisfied with his declaration. She pondered for a moment and raised her hand.

A beam of light flew up from somewhere beside her, precisely hovering in front of Chen Li. It was an exquisitely crafted necklace. The chain was woven from mithril and some dark metallic thread, and at the end hung a pigeon-egg-sized, peculiar gem that contained a deep blue-purple light like a nebula. Within the gem, fine lightning patterns seemed to be slowly flowing.

"This is called the Heart of Illusory Thunder, a special Soul Tool," Bibi Dong introduced. "It cannot amplify your power, but it has a unique function: it can perfectly conceal and disguise the true age and aura of your first five Soul Rings.

With your current Soul Power, it is enough to simulate your Thousand-year Soul Rings as standard Hundred Year Yellow Soul Rings in external perception and vision. The tallest tree catches the wind. Before you truly possess the strength to protect yourself, understanding how to conceal your sharpness is the wisdom of survival."

Chen Li's heart trembled; this was exactly what he urgently needed! He respectfully took the necklace with both hands: "Thank you, Your Majesty the Pope!"

He put on the Heart of Illusory Thunder around his neck, the cool gem pressing against his skin. With a slight thought, he injected his Soul Power into it.

Hum...

The blue-purple nebula within the gem began to spin rapidly, and an extremely faint, almost invisible energy field instantly covered his entire body.

Behind him, the deep purple Soul Ring flickered slightly. Its color, like fading watercolor, rapidly shifted from purple to yellow, finally stabilizing into a bright, standard yellow.

Not only that, but the subtle pressure and energy fluctuations emanating from the Soul Ring, which belonged to a Thousand-year Soul Ring, completely disappeared, becoming indistinguishable from an ordinary Hundred Year Soul Ring.

From an external appearance and conventional Soul Power perception, Chen Li now appeared to be just a talented young Soul Master with a Yellow first Soul Ring.

Bibi Dong looked at the disguised Soul Ring, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. She was giving Chen Li opportunity and protection, but she also needed to ensure that this potentially very sharp sword would not be prematurely exposed and attract unnecessary trouble before it was fully honed and pointed in the right direction.